Semi-resilient arch support



June 6, 1967 J. A. DANOWSKY 3,323,232

SEMI-RESILIENT ARCH SUPPORT Filed May 13, 1965 2 Sheets-$heei 1 m I k i I N VENTOR 15 2 5 JOHN A.DANOW5KY &4 Z

' A ONEY June 6, 1967 J. A. DANOWSKY 3,323,232

SEMI-RESILIENT ARCH SUPPORT Filed May 13, 1965 z sneets-sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN A. DANOWSKY United States Patent 3,323,232 SEMI-RESILIENT ARCH SUPPORT John A. Danowsky, 634 W. Penn St, Shenandoah, Pa. 17976 Filed May 13, 1965, Ser. No. 455,551 4 Claims. (CI. 36-25) The present invention relates primarily to arch supports, and, more particularly, to substantially rigid, semiresilient cantilever-type arch supports for use with the generally low-cut, lace or strap fastener type shoes.

In a greater majority of lace-type shoes currently available to both men and women, the primary support provided for the arch is usually a slightly arched section or padding overlying the shank of the sole and underlying the metatarsal arch area of the foot. The newness or relative stiffness of the new shoe leather or other material used in the fabrication of the shoe upper, is generally relied upon to impart initial secondary support adjacent the arch area. However, the shoe material soon tends to be come limp from being stretched and worn after only a relatively short period of use, whereby it readily loses its supplementary arch-supporting characteristics both adjacent the lower and upper arch areas, thus permitting the wearers foot to unduly spread and sag. This condition is not only unhealthy for the foot but it also imparts undue wear and an unattractive and sloppy appearance to the shoe as a whole.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of this invention to remedy the foregoing disadvantages by providing an improved arch support of the cantilever stirrup type which is readily adaptable to be assembled with conventional shoes during their manufacture within the area of the shoe vamp and preferably between the upper, side and sole portions of the shoe.

A primary object .is to provide an improved arch support of this type which will support the arch of a persons foot by maintaining supporting engagement beneath the lower and adjacent both sides of the upper arch area.

Another object is to provide an improved rigid arch support of the class described which will maintain the shoe material in supporting relationship beneath and adjacent both sides and upper areas of the arch thereby lending balance to the foot to preclude undue wear from occurring on one side, while preserving the shape and aesthetic appearance of the shoe.

A further object is to provide an improved arch support according to the preceding objectives which will relieve pressure from the users toes and other areas of the foot other than the arch, and which aligns the foot for a more perfect fit within a shoe which may be of a size substantially less than the wearer is normally accustomed to wearing.

Still a further object is to provide an improved arch support according to the foregoing which may be economically fabricated of relatively thin but substantially rigid material such as 24 or 32 gauge galvanized steel, aluminum alloy or plastic composition, and which may be secured in supporting relationship with opposite sides of the shoe upper or vamp area by conventional fastening means such as shoe laces or straps.

These and other objects and advantages, including the adaptability of the instant arch support to be overlaid and attached to the outside of a conventional shoe body, will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the illustrative drawing figures, and the novel features thereof will be defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a common form of mens business or dress shoes embodying the improved arch support of this invention as depicted in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan View of a developed arch-support blank illustrative of one form of the invention for use with the left shoe;

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the arch support of FIG. 2 shown in its formed configuration and ready for installation within a shoe;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the arch support of FIGS. 1-3 shown in its relative position in conjunction with a broken outline of a shoe similar to that depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the arch support of FIGS. 14 shown in conjunction with a broken outline of the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional detail view depicting the constructional relationship of the arch support relative to the other components of a conventional shoe;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the developed blank of a narrower and alternative form of arch support;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the arch support of FIG. 7 attached in a modified way to a conventional mocassin style mans shoe; and

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional detail view, similar to FIG. 6, but depicting the modified constructional arrangement of the arch support and shoe components of the form shown in FIG. 8.

Referring in more detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification, the arch supports designated generally at 10 are similar to stirrups in general outline or configuration and are made to conform to the left and right feet of the user. Each arch support member It) comprises a pair of foot-engaging cantilevered wings 12 and 14 interconnected by a shoe-sole and arch-engaging Web 16. The connecting web or bridge 16 serves to hold the wings in proper curved relationship to each other over the foot, while still permitting them to spring apart to accommodate insertion of the foot.

The improved cantilever arch support of this invention is preferably fabricated from a relatively thin, rigid, but semi-resilient material, such as 24 or 32 gauge sheet metal or other suitable material having sufficient resiliency to retain its shape and offer substantial resistance to distortion, while yet yielding to accommodate movements of the foot. The developed blank of FIG. 2 shows the wings 12 and 14 angled forwardly relative to the web 16. Said wings constitute forwardly, upwardly and inwardly angled cantilevered foot engaging portions which are respectively curved upward along bend areas 17, 17 outwardly from a centerline 19 and contoured to conform to the instep and outer arch areas of the foot. Said wings overlay the wearers foot within the vamp of the shoe generally, extending into and corresponding at least partially to the normally laced portion of the shoe. The arch-supporting web 16 is fashioned to span and be attached to the transverse median area of the shank of the shoe sole 18, as by conventional fastening means such as nails 20 adapted to pass through a plurality of laterally spaced apertures 22 provided in web 16 adjacent the sole edge areas as shown in FIGS. 3-6.

For simplicity and economy of manufacture and assembly, it is noted that the wing and Web members are of substantially the same transverse width, as better seen in the developed blank of FIG. 2.

The cantilever portions 12 and 14 are preferably provided along their respective outer extremities with a plurality of spaced apertures 24 which are adapted to conform or align with the conventional lace eyelets 26 usually provided in the flaps 27, 27 of the vamp. However, it is conceivable that the same form of arch support may be desirable without the apertures 24 and therefore the ends of the Wings terminating short of the lace-eyelet apertures 24.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 6, one preferred assembly provides for the arch support to be secured to the shank of the sole as aforesaid, and sandwiched between the upper shoe material 28 of flap 27, the inner lining material 30 and the inner sole member 32, respectively. Additionally, it is important that the web 16 be disposed centrally beneath the arch, preferably with its rearward edge 34 disposed substantially in vertical alignment with the forward edge of the heel member 36 as seen more clearly in FIG. 4. The Wings angle forwardly and upwardly toward the shoe lace holes at an approximate angle of 60 relative to the plane of the transverse web 16 as indicated at 38, when in assembled relationship, while maintaining approximately a A inch margin 40 of the shoe upper material between the edges of the wings and the top edges of the shoe uppers for protecting the foot from the relatively rigid upper edges of the wings.

The embodiment described above relates to a cantilever arch support adaptable for assembly with shoes having a relatively large number of shoe-lace eyelets, and, ac-

cordingly, is wider to give fuller support to all parts of the arch area than is the alternative and narrower embodiment designated generally at 42 in FIGS. 7 and 8, now to be described.

The principal difference between the two illustrative embodiments is in size and in assembly with the shoe components. The arch support 42 is of the same general configuration as the form designated in FIGS. 1-6, but is substantially and noticeably narrower and adapted for assembly with similar lace-type shoes having comparatively fewer lace eyelets, such as utilized in the moccasin style of shoe depicted in FIG. 8. For example, the arch supports 10 are preferably approximately 1 /2 inches wide throughout their length and embody preferably three sets of eyelet-alignment holes 24, whereas other modifications thereof may vary in reduced width varying down to approximately of an inch and embodying preferably one or two lace eyelets per wing.

Inasmuch as the form, configuration and general use are the same as that described in the foregoing, it is deemed unnecessary to repeat the detailed description thereof, and corresponding parts have been identified by corresponding primed reference numerals.

An alternative manner of assembling the arch sup-ports is effected by securing and aligning them in the same manner aforesaid relative to the shoe heel and sole, but with the exemplary support 42 embracing the outside of the shoe upper 28 being enclosed within a thin retaining and aesthetically attractive layer 44 on each side which preferably is secured to the shoe upper by conventional stitching 46 (FIG. 8) and within the welt or sole engaging area along the lowermost sides thereof.

It is apparent from the foregoing that an improved arch support has been evolved which firmly supports not only the metatarsal arch per se of the foot, but also embodies curvilinear wing portions which supportingly conform to the opposed sides and upper portions adjacent the medial portion of the foot. This built-in retainer and cantilever arch and instep support imparts a more healthful posture to the foot by relieving undue pressures from the toes While simultaneously imparting a balanced uniform support to the foot, thus greatly reducing or eliminating uneven wear on the shoes.

It is apparent that while only two specific forms and assemblies have been described in detail, other variations and changes may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, including scaling down of the support for assembly with mens, womens and childrens shoes of varying sizes and styles, and reference should be made to the appended claims for a definition of the scope of the inventive concept.

I claim:

1. In combination with a conventional lace-type shoe embodying an outer and inner sole, a heel, a shoe liner and an upper including a vamp having flaps with conventional lace fastener eyelets therein, an improved arch support of generally stirrup shape fabricated from thin, rigid sheet material comprising:

(a) a pair of opposed rigid semi-resilient upright cantilever wing members integrally interconnected by an arch-engaging transversely disposed web member;

(b) said wing members adapted to be resiliently associated respectively with and disposed in overlying engagement with the flaps of the shoe vamp and curved to conform to the shape of a wearers foot adjacent both sides at the instep arch area of the shoe;

(c) a relatively thin, flexible cover sheet coresponding to each wing member and of a size to overlay, enclose and retain each wing member to the vamp flaps of the shoe upper;

(d) said web member being provided with mounting apertures and fastener means cooperative therewith for securing the web upon the medial portion of the' outer sole and under the inner sole beneath the metatarsal arch area of the foot; and

(e) means to secure said cover sheets and wing members in the assembled relationship aforesaid.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the wings are provided With at least one aperture adjacent their upper extremities adaptable for alignment with a corresponding eyelet in the shoe flaps aforesaid.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the web member has its transverse rearward edge disposed upon the sole in substantially vertical alignment with the front edge of the heel.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the web member has its transverse rearward edge disposed upon the sole in substantially vertical alignment with the front edge of the heel, and the curvilinear wing members angle upwardly, inwardly and forwardly from the heel toward the lace eyelets at an angle of substantially 60 relative to the transverse web member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,580 1/1935 Johnson 36-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,832 1905 Great Britain. 358,597 10/1931 Great Britain. 246,885 10/ 1947 Switzerland.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONVENTIONAL LACE-TYPE SHOE EMBODYING AN OUTER AND INNER SOLE, A HEEL, A SHOE LINER AND AN UPPER INCLUDING A VAMP HAVING FLAPS WITH CONVENTIONAL LACE FASTENER EYELETS THEREIN, AN IMPROVED ARCH SUPPORT OF GENERALLY STIRRUP SHAPE FABRICATED FROM THIN, RIGID SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF OPPOSED RIGID SEMI-RESILIENT UPRIGHT CANTILEVER WING MEMBERS INTEGRALLY INTERCONNECTED BY AN ARCH-ENGAGING TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED WEB MEMBER; (B) SAID WING MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE RESILIENTLY ASSOCIATED RESPECTIVELY WITH AND DISPOSED IN OVERLYING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FLAPS OF THE SHOE VAMP AND CURVED TO CONFORM TO THE SHAPE OF A WEARER''S FOOT ADJACENT BOTH SIDES AT THE INSETP ARCH AREA OF THE SHOE; (C) A RELATIVELY THIN, FLEXIBLE COVER SHEET CORRESPONDING TO EACH WING MEMBER AND OF A SIZE TO OVERLAY, ENCLOSE AND RETAIN EACH WING MEMBER TO THE VAMP FLAPS OF THE SHOE UPPER; (D) SAID WEB MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH MOUNTING APERTURES AND FASTENER MEANS COOPERATIVE THEREWITH FOR SECURING THE WEB UPON THE MEDIAL PORTION OF THE OUTER SOLE AND UNDER THE INNER SOLE BENEATH THE METATARSAL ARCH AREA OF THE FOOT; AND (E) MEANS TO SECURE SAID COVER SHEETS AND WING MEMBERS IN THE ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP AFORESAID. 